Vitamin of the Week: Ollie Zad (Los Angeles)

Vitamin T director of business development Ollie Zad has a passion for both business and all things design. He’s worked at and consulted for start-ups, design firms, printers, publishers, and ad agencies. You name it, he’s been there.

Fluent in both digital and print, he’s got a lot to say about the best way to find awesome jobs (aside from asking us) and where to find your favorite events in Los Angeles.

Check out his answers to our 7 Quick Questions!

What made you want to work at Vitamin T and what do you love most about working here? I’ve spent the past 5 years working with and around start-ups. Prior to that I was working with established mature brands on their print-based marketing efforts. Vitamin T allows me the opportunity work with both these segments all while learning more about the digital side of the divide.

What’s your favorite brand and why? I have a few favorites, actually. I like brands that represent something bigger than just the physical product or service, sometimes referred to as an idea brand. Some examples would be Apple, Whole Foods, Tesla, and Warby Parker. What these brands share is delivery of a premium quality product while also addressing greater societal concerns such as e-waste, agribusiness, fossil fuels, people in need, etc.

What’s the BEST thing someone can do when looking for a job? Network, network, network. I once read somewhere that the best jobs are in what's called “the hidden job market” and seldom make it to the job boards. Whether or not you believe that’s true, word about open positions at companies and agencies go out organically first, through personal networks. And the person who knows about that amazing job is most likely not your direct contact—or even their friends—but the people their friends know. For me personally, it’s usually been 1st or 2nd degree connections.

In your job, what’s been your favorite moment or biggest joy? I love it when a client raves about a talent we have placed. Especially when they compliment the person more than twice and even well after they have gone to work permanently through Talent Bridge.

Best creative/digital event in your city? That's a tough one. Unlike most other cities, Los Angeles is very fractured. Fifteen years ago there were creative events that brought everyone together from all over the city around a professional trade. Whether it was graphic design, production, or media, you could expect to see everyone a couple times a year at one event. Nowadays, it's split by sub-region and sub-profession, so UX folks can have Meetups in Pasadena, DTLA, and Santa Monica all in the same week (or even the same night). So I guess there really isn't one event that could be considered the best, there’s lots of events all the time. It’s best to go to Meetup.com, type in your passion, and go!

Who is your creative or digital hero? At the risk of sounding trite, I would say Steve Jobs. I know, he sometimes was a huge jerk, but sometimes that is how you need to be to prevent your vision from being diluted by people who will give you a million reasons why something can't be done. In the end, he revolutionized at least four industries and impacted the lives of millions while creating hundreds of billion dollars of value. Not bad for a calligraphy major.

As a 5 year old, what did you want to be when you grew up? Governor, because that is what my dad was at the time. He often would suggest I should open a grocery store instead. Turns out he was right!